“Four or five hours, depending on traffic.”
She looked out the window but said nothing. He had no doubt that she was scared. She was being taken hundreds of miles away by a stranger who could very well do her harm. It wasn’t exactly a cheap thrill, he’d imagine, but he couldn’t worry about that. His priority was getting back all the women who were likely in far worse situations. He had to find them and get them home. He had to get the bad heroin off the streets, and she was his leverage. The most important thing in order to accomplish those things was to keep her out of reach until her fiancé cooperated.
He started the car and pulled away, checking the mirrors constantly for any signs they were being followed. They weren’t exactly in a secure location as far as the exterior of the building, so it was a good chance they might be tailed if word had gotten back to Doyle that his little hit squad had failed and gone missing in the process.
He sped along the streets, eager to get away before things went belly up. It was only once they were out on the open highway with no other cars in sight that he began to relax a bit and just drive. He turned on the radio, flipping channels before finally settling on a classical music station.
“I wouldn’t have taken you for a classical sort of guy,” she commented.
“I’m not, but I figured you didn’t want to listen to the usual death metal I prefer,” he told her.
She eyed him uncertainly, likely trying to decide if he was serious. He thought she might comment further, but she turned to look back out the window instead. She was more concerned with keeping up with where they were going than she was his choice in music. They lapsed back into silence for a while.
“Will we be stopping anywhere to get a drink or use the bathroom?” she asked, not taking her eyes off the window.
“You just went to the bathroom. This is going to be a long trip if you’re going to start whining to go again already,” he growled.
“I don’t need to, but I’m sure I will if we’re traveling long enough, and I didn’t get to finish eating my burger your brother brought me.”
He knew it was a test to see if he corrected her about the man bringing her food being his brother. It made no difference if she knew he and Olcan were related, but he called many men his brother that weren’t any blood relation to him. The word, to him, meant something different than it did for her. He had no intention of clarifying any of that for her.
“Yes. We will be stopping, but not for a few hours.”
She nodded and went quiet again, returning to her continued watch of the road signs. He almost laughed out loud, knowing just how her brain must be churning out plots to get away from him once they were stopped. There were surely tons of scenarios going on in her head as to how she could ask to go to the bathroom and climb out a window or get the attention of someone who would call the police for her. She was going to be sorely disappointed when none of that panned out for her.
“Are there more people where we are going?” she finally asked.
“Nope. Just us.”
“Ciaron is going to kill you if you touch me,” she said, this time turning to face him.
“Touch you? What do you mean? Like sexually? I mean, I’ve seen your perfectly waxed pussy. Sweet little ginger landing strip, by the way. Do you think I’m some sort of sex pest that can’t handle the sight of a woman’s fanny? Do you think watching you take a piss is a turn on?”
The color drained from her face. He had hit his mark. She was humiliated. Good. The truth was, he found her incredibly attractive and wouldn’t mind a go at her if she hadn’t turned herself into some wannabe princess willing to trade her roots for a fairytale life with a man who doesn’t know what love means. She was possession to Ciaron Doyle, and the only reason he would come for her is because you don’t take what belongs to another man without a fight in their world.
She turned away, resuming her gaze out the window until they began to turn off the highway a few hours later. He pulled into the small diner there and turned to look at her. She stared straight ahead, focused on whatever she had plotted and planned in her head.
“This place is owned by a friend. You’ll get no help here, so I’d suggest that you be a good girl and not give me any trouble. In exchange, I will take off those ropes and let you walk in and out of the building of your own accord. I’ll let you go pee by yourself and sit and eat a meal like a human being. What do you say?”